


Thinly Veiled Secrets

by Mama_Comic



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Biting, Child Abuse, Child Death, Drinking, Good W. D. Gaster, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Masochism, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rough Sex, Sad with a Happy Ending, Sadism, Surgery, Threats of Violence, Torture, War, grillby - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:27:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25984360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mama_Comic/pseuds/Mama_Comic
Summary: The recovery of a broken kingdom, the birth of a child, the freedom of thousands... who would have ever guessed that an illegal visit to a human only bar would change the course of history?
Relationships: W. D. Gaster/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	1. My Family

**Author's Note:**

> This is a co-written piece that is already completed, written by myself and Catler00, the creator of CraftTale!

It was dark outside, and the winter season was in full swing. A blanket of freshly fallen snow covered the roads and sidewalks, and the streetlights made the snow glitter as the people still out and about traversed the snow-laden street of downtown Manhattan. 

The city that never sleeps. 

pitiful.

A dark figure strode silently along the sidewalk, long, heavy deep purple overcoat shielding them from the windchill that made most people stay inside.

He wasn’t sure what drew him to this city anymore. He wasn’t interested in the flashy lights or the disgusting amount of humans. He despised humans.. filthy things, with no regard for their surroundings.

The figure's singular purple eye drifted to the neon sign that flickered every now and then, proudly displaying the word “OPEN”. He had been inside human bars before, though his ‘Kind’ typically weren’t welcome.

Just another reason he had a strong distaste for the human race as a whole.

The figure sighed, and pushed the door to the bar open as he stepped inside. The blast of heat that greeted him cane with the acrid scent of cigars and the pungent smell of human alcohol and body odor. He fought the urge to turn back and leave, and took a seat at the bar. He ignored the looks he received; his hat brimmed his face well enough. They didn’t know, yet, that he wasn’t one of them.

The blaring noise of people chatting and making a general drunken ruckus was near deafening to those who didn't frequent the bars. The tables that littered the hangout were mostly filled with company that didn't bother to keep their shouting at a reasonable volume. It was unusually loud, even for the regulars.

The boy took a quick glance at the person who'd seated himself almost next to him. Generally he'd pay no mind and nurse his whiskey glass but something peculiar caught his attention. He wasn't sure what it was- call it a gut feeling. A shift in the air, if you will. He quickly shot his grassy green eyes up and down the figure, trying to hone in on whatever it was that was causing this pull of attention but didn't immediately notice anything too off-key.

Well, other than the hat. That was a bit weird to him, considering they were indoors and bars were a place of sulking or socializing. When the bartender came by and simply set the whiskey bottle next to the boy's glass, he unscrewed the cap and began to pour himself another.

"You know," 

he started, keeping his eyes on his glass as he spoke,

"wearing a get up like that is bound to attract attention."

The other mans mouth curled into a grin, though a bitter one as he waved a black-gloved hand to the bartender. His voice was a deep rumble, with an edge to it that almost made it feel inhuman.

“Scotch. On the rocks.”

His eye drifted to the human that had addressed him now, inclining his head slightly so he could see the youth properly.

“I assure you.. I attract more attention without it. Besides.. it’s cold.”

That was hard to believe. The air felt thick and stuffy, if anything it was too warm. The cigar and cigarette smoke that hung in the air from other patrons kept the place from cooling, even the occasional opening of the door as people came and went didn’t touch the stifling air.

The green eyed man scrunched up his face at the man's drink of choice, finally looking over at him with no intent of hiding his distaste. What person of any caliber actually drinks their alcohol on the rocks? Apparently this guy. That didn't deter the white-haired lad any less though. If anything, it made him more inquisitive. 

"That is the dumbest shit I've ever heard." 

He couldn't help but slouch further into the bar, his free hand coming up to loosen his tie in some in-vain attempt to keep himself more sober. 

"No offense, just if you're gonna be cryptic I think you could be a bit better at it. I mean, have you seen the fellas in here? A fucked up face or a scar or two isn't gonna bother anyone here. If anything, might win you some points."

The stranger laughed. It was low and dark, and he offered a small grin before he pulled his gloves off. His hands were white and scarred- not pale...white. each finger was tipped by a sharp, curved nail that came to a perfect point.

The visible, waxy flesh was scarred by black lines and open, deep gouges that strangely didn’t bleed. Slowly, he wrapped his hand around the glass set in front of him and sipped at the scotch in the cold glass.

“I’m perfectly comfortable with how I look. But I would rather be allowed to stay here for a little longer.”

The lad only stared, and slowly his eyes widened as the gears began turning in his head. Another beat and he all but steeled his face back into a neutral expression-much better than his previous attempt to not look like he was about to murder someone- as to not cause any alarm. 

He took a look between the glass, the hands, the hat...and then promptly downed the rest of the liquor in his glass.

"What. The actual. Fuck. Alright," 

He paused only to take a swig directly out of the bottle that had been placed next to his empty glass.

"Color me curious. I'm assuming the uh- condition- has bartered you quite a bit of chaos?"

The pale stranger chuckled again, and did the same to his own drink. He didn’t enjoy the burn of human alcohol, but the monster variety was a rare commodity he didn’t often get. So.. human drink it was.

“Condition? Strange way to say species.”

The man- monster- spared another quiet laugh, before tipping his hat back enough for the human beside him to see his face. 

Pale white skin sank into empty black voids that made up this monster's eyes, except for a light ringed with purple in one socket. He had no nose, and deep wounds stretched from his empty eyes over the back of his scalp, and another from his lit eye to his mouth. What looked like a thick staple held the top wound together near his brow.

“Chaos.. I suppose that’s one way to put it.”

When he spoke, the human could see deep black gums hidden behind his lips, and wickedly sharp teeth. The youth nearly choked on his drink at that- stuttering to hold back both his laughter and near horror. Manhattan was getting weird. Not that he'd complained, he was an adventurous kinda person... if the piercings, rings, and suit weren't a give away. He loved the loud partiers, the violence, the mystery this city had to offer. It was a far cry from his own home where he called the shots- but he would be getting ahead of himself with all that.

The human tore his line of sight from the monster's hands to his face, freezing in place with not shock but utter fascination. He probably stared for much longer than socially acceptable- like he was trying to memorize the sight in front of him. For a moment, the chaos ensuing behind them seemed to all but fade away.

A faint blush rose to his cheeks, seeming to darken the mask of freckles on his skin. 

"Ok, I see why you're in that get up. I take back my comment about you possibly being brain dead, do not take that off in here. Even I'm not ready for that kinda fiasco."

He turned, extending his hand and finally turning to the other bar-goer.

"You can call me King. What should I call you?"

The monster waved to the bartender again for a refill, keeping his head down as the man approached to serve them.

“Fiasco.. I believe that is a vast understatement. This city.. is not very forgiving of those who are different in any way. Especially cosmetically... but I suppose that’s true for most.. if not all humans, no?”

The monster offered his hand-a handshake?- as he smirked. 

“Void. Am I really to assume your parents named you after a monarchy position?”

King shook his hand happily, a grin splitting across his face flashing his tiny bunny fangs in his excitement. When he withdrew his hand, he couldn't help but turn one of his rings around his finger. It was a habit he'd developed when he chose his words carefully or became lost in thought. Despite himself, he averted his gaze to the floor, only sneaking a glance back at Void when he'd decided on what to say.

"High expectations call for names of dignity. Did your parents really name you after the vanta black littering your form?"

Void laughed lowly, and raised a brow.

“Vanta black?”

The monster returned his arm to the table, head cocked slightly back to keep an eye on King.

“No, actually.. I named myself. After a very long time spent alone I.. felt my birth name could no longer be applied to me.”

His brows furrowed as he looked into his glass of scotch.

“What is.. vanta black?”

King laughed a bit, quietly to himself as though there was a joke no one else knew. After running a bruised hand through his snow hair and fidgeting it back into place he finally took to turning around on his stool. He watched the barmen go about the time, shooting pool and smoking- ugh, he really wanted a cigarette.

He dug around in his pockets, flicking out a lighter and a cigarette to occupy himself as he resumed what he was doing. Their obliviousness to the monster could be considered comical, but he found Void's lack of knowledge even funnier. He would have sworn it was intentional.

"Vanta black is a shade of black that does not reflect light in any capacity and instead absorbs it. It is, in short, all consuming and endless. Like a void." 

He shot a grin over to his companion, raising a brow as he continued, 

"Names have power, even when unintentional there always seems to be some irony to them. Besides all that, what brings you to Manhattan? I can't imagine this city has anything to offer you."

Void went silent at the apt descriptor, hand clenching around the glass. He had to focus, otherwise he’d shatter it in his grip... and it wasn’t worth the attention and the trouble. He watched King out of the corner of his eye as he turned and situated himself again. 

“Indeed they do.. unfathomable power, at times..”

He heaved a sigh into his cup before taking another deep drink, and gesturing for yet another refill.

“It doesn't. Racists, idiots and humans.. usually the trifecta come in one package. I suppose I just.. wanted the change in scenery. I had been in the country for a good deal of years.”

King seemed to ponder this as a bit of skepticism etched onto his fair features. Of course, this was quickly dismissed as he realized that..Void is a monster, and was probably treated as such. With a long pause of silence, King seemed to only enjoy his cigarette. He wasn't sure what to say. He'd had his go at humans plenty a time and never had issues with any of them- but then he had to remember that he himself was also unfortunately a human.

"I suppose that... they can be. I have a hard time coming to terms with that fact at times but for the most part they're all a bunch of pushovers."

He paused, a sad smirk creeping up as he continued, 

"They have their charms, though. Especially in Manhattan. No one gives a glance to any form of violence here and while I love the roaming hills of the country and the sight of stars, if someone turns up missing people turn heads."

Voids expression darkened, and his grip on his cup tightened. The monster remained silent for a long, drawn out moment. 

When he finally spoke, his voice was rough. It held a deeply seeded emotion the human wasn’t able to disconcert. Some mix of grief, longing, and pain.

“Not for everyone. That is... they don’t notice everyone. Here is no better, I’m finding. Until you see the raw contempt a human can hold for you simply for having the audacity to have not been borne under their standards, you cannot understand.”

King hummed, watching the monster with calculated eyes. At a glance, King was unsuspecting- harmless- weak. Barely even five feet tall, his boyish frame was only complimented by his freckles and snow white hair. His flair for the dramatic didn't help, toting about a cane at his side in his prim suit. He wondered if Void thought the same of him, if that rough look was directed at him as well.

'If only you knew.' 

He thought momentarily. 

He didn't miss the way Void continued to grip the glass in his clawed hands- how it near screeched under the pressure and threatened to break. 

"That quite a bit of... something there. You're pretty on the mark. I don't understand, but-" 

A brief pause, the room filled with static like after a violent thunderstorm. 

Everyone noticed but no one seemed to make any signs of question other than a quick look around.

"-don't judge a book by it's cover."

Void exhaled, shaking his head once before downing what was left in his drink and turning to face king.

“What are you, a mage?”

His expression was steely and hardened. Not hate, but it wasn’t indifference anymore either.

“You're a human. I know of humans that hate their own kind based on the color of skin or their belief in a god. But you..you don’t seem the type to be ostracized. A white man. Aren’t you supposed to be considered superior to all other humans?”

Void tried, and failed, to hide the mocking sneer he expressed at the very idea of such a system. In his.. well. back home. monsters were monsters, regardless of shape size or coloration. King's eyes shot open, staring hard for what felt like-to him-an eternity. That was... new. He shook his head as if to get himself working, to get the gears in his head to turn once more. He wanted to choose his words carefully but they spilled out before he had a chance to stop them.

"Mage has implications that don't apply to me."

He stood, leaning heavily on his cane as he did so and grabbing the bottle of whiskey he'd forgotten about. He can see out of the corner of his eye that the bar had lulled to a quiet standstill, the goers having noticed both his and Void's presences there.

"There are plenty of ways I am not considered superior. Being white doesn't garner me the respect of my species, unfortunately."

Void started to stand as well, but the bartender had noticed his lack of gloves it seemed. Before the monster could look down at the hand that was suddenly gripping his wrist, his hat was being yanked off. He cursed loudly and tried to grab it back, but the damage had already been done with so many eyes already on the pair. Void was acutely aware of the fact that the atmosphere was growing increasingly hostile, between himself, king, and the bar as a whole.

“Perhaps it’s time I take my leave.”

He wretched his wrist away from the bartender and turned to King.

“I would like to continue this conversation.. I feel I could learn from you. You could stay here, or you could depart with me. I will be outside for a few moments.”

Void turned, and quietly left..

....

Did he just leave his bill for King-?

The lad let out a long sigh, slamming down some cash on the counter for the bartender for both their drinks before turning to the crowd once Void had left. King picked up his cane, brandishing it like a weapon and glaring them all down as static filled the air once more.

"I suggest you all go back to whatever it is you were doing."

He turned on his heels, purposefully holding his own on his two legs. It was not till he was out of the store that he set the cane down and used it for its intended purpose. He scanned the area till he saw the monster in question, quickly making his way over to him and grinning up at Void with a cheeky look.

"You owe me. Aint no way I can go back there after that."

Void smirked down at him. And down was right- void stood at a proud six foot seven, and he thoroughly enjoyed the fact that it allowed him to look down on the majority of the nasty little humans that he often had to interact with. The downside though, was he usually stuck out like a sore thumb.

“Well don’t count the cards quite yet. I have it under good authority that business will soon be bought out and replaced.”

Void reached into his pocket, and contemplated lighting a cigar.. but decided against it, in present company.

“I doubt they would have accepted monetary compensation from me anyway.”

King only grinned up at him, a knowing glint in his eyes as he turned them forward and continued following the monster. He idly wondered if all monsters were as tall as Void. From his experience, yes, but those were the exception and not the rule. He had an image of a little baby Void demanding alcohol and he couldn't help but laugh out loud a bit.

"They probably wouldn't have, you're right. That bar in particular doesn't even sell to women. Hopefully the new management doesn't have such a stick up their ass. What good is a bartender you can't talk to? Ugh, I just wanted to play some blackjack and maybe start a fight."

King shook his head, seeming to dramatically lament the loss of the potential chaos he could have caused.

"Racists assholes... Ruining a perfectly good drink. You ever found a place that wasn't... ya know. Garbage?"

Void sighed, knowing King's loss of a ‘good night’ was at least partially his fault... well, maybe more than ‘partially’..

“I did try to warn you. Humans as a whole don’t seem particularly fond of monsters.. though it appears there is the rare exception.”

He sighed, and made an internal effort to lighten the mood. A good bar hm?..

“And well.. I know of one. How comfortable are you around monsters?”

King stopped, or rather, tripped into the ground. He glanced back shooting a glare at the person who couldn't bother to watch where they were going. He struggled to stand back up, dusting off his pants and glancing at Void and then back. Best not to start a scene...

"I have no issues with them. Treat 'em just like I'm treating you, I suppose. Whatcha got in mind?"

Void automatically lurched forward to attempt to help the human, but stopped when King seemed to be able to get up on his own. Still, it left the Lich a little uneasy.

“Well.. there is a Monster bar in the countryside I’ve spent the past few years in. A bar and Grill, actually.. the best monster alcohol you’ll find topside. “

He straightened his back, watching the offending human retreat from them after knowing King down.

“I intend to spend some time there tonight. Care to join me?”

In the country? They were in the middle of Manhattan; how in the hell...

King raised an eyebrow at Void, wondering if maybe English wasn't his first language and he'd misunderstood? Maybe he didn't hear him right? Or was Void expecting King to spend several days on a trip with him? No, that's not it, he said tonight. 

There's no way he... Could he? Regardless,

"I would love to, but one begs the question how you expect to get to the countryside by nightfall. Don't get me wrong, I'll never pass up some Monster alcohol- it reminds me of home and is hard to come by, but I'm a bit confused my friend."

Voids lips pulled into a smirk, and he held out his hand as if offering a handshake or a greeting.

“Did you think I’m a monster without magic? All I need is a point of contact.. I strongly advise you to close your eyes, though.. Humans tend to be driven insane by my namesake. while it’s amusing to watch them ramble, it’s not in your best interest.”

King seemed to hesitate, looking at Voids hand for a short second. He was apprehensive, unsure if this was something he could trust. Void could easily take him somewhere to chop his head off for all King knew- not that he couldn't hold his own. Then again... Monster alcohol.

In the end, King's love of booze seemed to win his internal struggle as he took Void's hand softly. He quietly shut his eyes.

"Bold of you to assume I'm not already insane~" 

Void gripped the humans hand almost painfully tight, and his dark laugh seemed to echo as the air around them grew cold.

“All humans are at least a little insane.. but I don’t suggest trying your luck”

King gulped, mentally preparing himself for whatever kinda shit he was going to experience. Before he had a chance to take the deep breath he needed to calm his nerves, the ground slipped away from his feet and his knees threatened to buckle under the weight he felt.

It was difficult to breathe, each breath like an anchor, weighing him down further into the nothing. A blanket of perfect silence, no sensation aside from the overwhelming pressure in his chest that weighed him down.

Just when he felt like he was going to either pass out from the lack of oxygen or vomit from the extreme vertigo, all the phantom feelings vanished at once and his feet hit solid ground.

“We have arrived.”

King had to suppress the grin that split across his face when they came back, looking up at Void with a sense of excitement and knowing love for whatever had just transpired in their journey. His face was pale as he struggled out a breathy laugh.

"That was... you gotta tell me about whatever that was over a drink tonight. That was amazing."

He chanced a glance around at their surroundings as he waited for Void to show him the way. The street they’d landed on was nearly empty of buildings; a few residential houses, and one or two shops.. but they were directly in front of a small, homey establishment with a sign above it that proudly said 

‘Grillby's Bar and Grill’

Void, however, was staring at King with a deeply bothered expression. This.. Human, enjoyed the suffocating Nothingness of the Void? Was King even really human?

“...Alright. This is the bar I spoke of; monster run and normally exclusive, however.. they respect me here. You will be allowed inside without issue.”

King gave a short nod, that same calculating look in his eyes as his smile fell away. That telltale focus told Void that King was trying to memorize the image of what he saw, as though every detail would disappear from him if he didn't. When he looked up at the bar sign he did the same, but took an actual step back.

"Are you sure? I don't want you getting in any slack for having me around. I don't want to cause any trouble."

King meant what he said. He'd known Void for maybe an hour at most but the undeniable curiosity and a bit of respect for him was still valid. He didn't want to cause any issues and possibly lose the chance to learn. Void kept his gaze on King for a moment longer, trying to decide if he should really be interacting with such an.. Unknown element. Ultimately, he figured it wouldn’t do him any good to walk away now. Not to mention it would be incredibly rude to strand King here.

“You won’t cause any trouble, so long as you don’t attempt to harm anyone. Or have the intent to harm. We can sense such things.. if you enter that bar and you have any intentions of hurting a monster, I have no doubt you’ll be sent running with that suit of yours going up in flames.”

Void opened the door. A blast of heat hit King when the Lich did so; a stark contrast from the snowy, freezing air they had been standing in.

'Up in flames, huh.' 

King thought bitterly- the image of his nice clothes going up really bothering him. He shook the thought off, knowing that while he had magic stutters and a temper, he could be well-behaved. 

"Well, then we won't have any issues. As much as I love to poke and prod, this isn't my territory," 

He spoke with a hushed tone, feeling the heat fight away the cold that was starting to make the skin around his earrings sting.He relaxed his weight onto his cane, smiling up at the Void, motioning to go in.

"What was it you wanted to 'learn' from me anyway?"

Void shrugged and led the way into the bar. The walls were a deep reddish brown, and the wooden floor matched the various tables and booths that lined the walls and filled the center of the room. A neon sign hung above an old jukebox in the corner that simply said ‘Grillby’.

But of course, the most unique part of the bar we’re it’s customers.

Monsters of all shapes and sizes; a few rocks sat on a table near the door, some sort of large duck sat at the bar conversing with a rabbit, alongside a short-stature skeleton. A handful of dog monsters appeared to be playing poker, and a monster that appeared to be little more than a mouth milled about with a giant, hulking bear that looked strangely friendly. But of course, the reason for the overwhelming heat in the bar was visible instantly. The monster that stood behind the bar appeared to be made entirely of fire. He was idly cleaning the empty glass in his hand, and staring directly at King over top his glasses.

“What did I want to learn? Well initially what you meant by the term mage not applying to you when you clearly have ability... and now, why you seem so eager to learn about the Void.”

King looked around, eyes wide like a kid in a candy store. Gods, was this Christmas? He'd never seen something so different- finally something new. He eagerly followed, cane clacking against the warm hard wood of the floors. He shot a wink to fire elemental when he caught him staring, then turned to Void to say thank you, and tell him how he was so glad he came, to-

There was another magic stutter, that harsh buzz appearing for a beat as Void told King the information he was seeking.The monsters in the room briefly quieted, and a few shot King nervous looks. One of the dog monsters audibly whined and shrank away from the buzz, and the flame on the bartender hiked up a few inches as his gaze sharpened.

The panic on Kings face was temporary only to be replaced by a bright and vibrant blush that lit up King's face, eyes wide and eyebrows lifting. He was malfunctioning a bit.

"J-jeez Void, you haven't even bought me dinner yet!"

Void's voice was low, gentle almost as he led King to the bar.

“Try to keep that magic of yours under wraps here.. a lot of monsters still remember the mages that sealed them underground. Let’s not cause a scene.”

He smiled disarmingly at the bartender, who still seemed nervous.

“Grillby.. it’s been some time old friend. Don’t worry. We won’t cause any trouble.”

The bartender-grillby- finally spoke, his voice husky and rough.

“He better not, Void. You know the rules.”

“That I do.. Let the lad order, I’ll cover the bill.”

King followed Void over, taking a moment to calm himself after that, it had been a close call. He really needed to figure out how to get a grip on the... hiccups of his magic. He'd never needed to before, with all the oblivious humans. He said he wouldn't cause trouble and he meant it. He hoped Void wasn't upset. The man shot the bartender a sheepish smile, speaking with reservation he'd only typically use when speaking to authority figures.

"Whatever you have that's light, would be nice. If that's alright, that is. Or whatever he's,"  
King nodded at Void to indicate who,

"having is fine."

Grillby stared at King for almost an uncomfortably long time, before turning and starting to prepare a drink. While he did, Void eyed King, leaning forward onto the bar.

“You don’t seem to have much control over that ability of yours.. never been correctly trained I assume?”

Grillby gave a noncommittal sound of agreement from his spot behind the bar.

“It's like a child fresh into pinstripes.”

King took a seat when the bartender finally turned- purposefully moving slowly. He stomped down the bristle he felt at being alluded to a child. A sore spot, considering how short he was. 'Be cool, relax.' He thought gingerly, raising an eyebrow at Grillby. King set his cane against the bar and relaxed into the seat, looking about the monsters in the bar as he spoke.

"Why do I get the feeling if I lie you'll know." 

The human grinned over at his companion. Void snorted, shaking his head as Grillby turned back and set down two glasses of.. whatever that was. It was fizzy, and glowing a pale pink. As King watched, it slowly shifted to blue, then purple, then back to pink.

“Ah, lovely choice as always Grillby. .. and No, I wouldn’t know.”

Void offered a grin as he lifted his drink and paused as he looked pointedly at the elemental.

“He would though.”

King lifted the glass to inspect it, watching as the colors shifted and giving an appreciative thanks to the elemental. He chanced a sip, tasting the flavor- hard to place but he appreciated it and opted to go ahead and drain the glass for all it was worth. Knowing he couldn't lie he turned fully to Void, eyes firmly locked with his.

"Let's say this glass is the body, and water is the Souls magic. Usually it fills it up with a reasonable amount- say halfway- and the person has to learn to balance the cup so it doesn't spill. It's not too hard, ‘cause it's only filled half way. But what happens when it's filled up with something that... doesn't belong... to the person. It just keeps pouring more and more water into the cup, till it spills over."

He set the glass on the bar, turning away, resting his head into the palm of his hand.

"I'm not a mage. I'm not even sure I'm my own person at times." 

Void stared at him for a long time, then sighed and looked down at his own glass.

“You're like me.”

Grillbys flames popped quietly as he slid another glass over at Void, as if he knew what was about to happen. The elemental shook his head.

“You’ll regret bringing this up so soon.”

“It’s been five hundred fucking years flame head, it’s not ‘too soon’.”

King repressed the urge to have another moment of sputters. The balancing act of being sure the 'water' didn't spill over and alarm the monsters. Instead, he swallowed thickly and sneered at the monster. How dare he, how dare he think himself anything like King? He had a name of his own! But that didn't stop his curiosity. Void's back and forth with the bartender was intriguing. He let the anger go and decided to replace it with something else.

"I find that very unlikely... but I want you to explain."

Void stared down into his new glass. His gaze was.. oddly unfocused.

“This isn’t my body. Well.. it wasn’t always.”

He nodded toward the blue-hooded skeleton on the opposite side of the bar.

“I used to be skeletal. I was a scientist back then; one of the most brilliant monsters underground. They called me Gaster, though my first name was WingDing. Font names are a skeleton tradition, did you know that?”

Void took a deep drink, draining half the glass in his hand. He knew some of that was..irrelevant. He supposed he had a tendency to overshare. Was he drunk? Not yet, but he was going to be..

“When the underground’s power source exploded I was.. I hesitate to say killed. I wasn’t killed. I was thrown.. somewhere else. That place we traversed through to get here. I had no way back out, then. I spent...too many years to count, in that place. It’s not as empty as it seems. creatures the likes of which no man has seen lurk in those shadows.”

Grillby shook his head and refilled the mans glass, then glanced at king and offered by way of explanation;

“Last time he told this story he vanished for six months.”

Void gave the bar-tend a scathing look, then shook his head once more.

“There’s something in there. It’s.. it’s not a god. It’s.. Evil. and I don’t say that lightly. To be in its presence is to taste malice; to know blood thirst and the lust for death. It’s a cannibal. And I didn’t belong there. So when it found me..”

Void fell silent, brows furrowing. He shook his head and drained his entire glass at once this time to quell the nauseating memories that threatened to crash back down on him.

King stared. He continued to stare, face paling and his chest heaving with heavy breaths. He began to shake his head, nearly falling out of his chair in sheer panic.

'Don't scare them.' 

He gripped the edges of the bar tightly to try and keep a level head, averting his gaze to it. There's no way he knew. They're not the same. That place was not the same but it had to be. That's where they are now. 

"Those things are my family."


	2. A Fight

Void stared blankly at King for a moment, almost uncomprehendingly.

“The... _thing_ that captured me, tortured me for an amount of time I can’t begin to comprehend. It changed every aspect of my body, and gave me magic I still barely understand. Magic that belongs to _Them_. and your.. you're telling me...”

Grillby was openly staring at King now, flame dimmed so much the human could almost see his charcoal-like skin. King stood slowly, backing away with a frightened look. He slowly reached for his cane as to not alarm them and gripped it till his knuckles turned white. His hair was standing on end, rings glowing a vibrant orange and purple hue. 

"I was to be their King. But I ran, as fast and as hard as I could to get away from them... and You... You're the one Papa told me about. The one that got away."

...

"I should.. I should go. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." 

He glanced at the door, dipping in a short bow before bolting for it. He didn't get far; Grillby had vaulted over the bar, and sprinted out after the human as void stared blankly after them. The elemental snarled as he grabbed King by the back of his shirt.

“ _You're going to go back in there. And you're going to talk to him_.”

King whipping around to try and pry the elemental's hand off his suit- the threat of going up in flames was now very real. He stopped short of grabbing him, fearing being burned now, and instead summoned up his magic, letting electrical sparks dance across his skin to reflect his sheer panic.

"And say what?! There's nothing I can say that can fix this! He's probably gonna kill me now!"

Grillby yanked king close and.. wrapped him up in his arms. More to restrain him, if the veteran was honest, but he knew humans had a reflex where pressure like this calmed them. He had to know those things back then.

_“Void isn’t the sort to get violent. He’s just had his world ripped out from under him. Suddenly it isn’t a beast that tortured him, it was a father. Someone with family and someone with a kingdom. You're going to go back in there and help him regain his footing, or so help me with the stars as my witness I will burn you to cinders_.”

King struggled in Grillby's arms, sparks flying off him but it soon subsided when he realized he wasn't being harmed. This was restraint. He was slipping... he needed to breathe. He needed to _stop._

_'Not violent.' 'Not a beast.' 'Regain his footing'_

King finally stopped, giving a defeated nod. 

"Y-yeah. I can... I can do that. I'm good now."

Grillby stayed where he was for a moment longer, then slowly released his hold on King and stepped back.

“ _He may be my friend. But already you two share something I can never comprehend. You share a past. He has needed that for a very long time_.”

King slowly turned to face Grillby, eyes holding a sort of steel in them- the kind forged in the fires of hatred. Not at Grillby, no, at the conversation he was about to have. One he's tried avoiding since meeting Void. To not alarm, he walked carefully past him back to the bar, opening the door and reclaiming his seat next to the Lich.

"I have... questions. I'm sure you have some as well."

Void didn’t look at him. He seemed entranced by his drink, and from the looks of it he had reached over the bar and grabbed the whole bottle. Considering Grillby had not commented, it could be assumed this wasn't the first time he'd done that.

“....you called it _papa_ . that.. that thing. You _named it_.”

The monster barked out a harsh laugh, shaking his head as he clenched his hand around the bottle so hard it shattered with a spectacularly unimpressive collapse of liquid and glass.

“You fucking named it!”

King flinched back, trying to let go of the need to react just as angrily. He quietly began picking up the glass pieces, trying to occupy his hands so he didn't have to look at Void. He knew this was gonna be an ugly conversation. He barely knew this man and suddenly he knew far more than anyone could. It was such an odd... sort of thing.

How should he feel? What expression should he have? What does a person say to that?

"I didn't name him. Did you not call your parents by their titles all your family hood?"

Void fell silent, brows furrowing together as Grillby began to silently pick glass out of Lich’s skin after returning to his place at the bar.

“I..No. I didn’t. Skeletons don’t have parents, we have.. they have.. it just doesn’t work like that.”

He shook his head and looked back at king.

“I..what was it-he-like? To you?”

King watched intently as Void stumbled over his words. What was once a mysterious figure in a human bar was now a confused and apprehensive monster, fumbling on how to now navigate the siatuon, as what was once fact now shifted into something more morally grey. King discarded the glass he'd gathered to Grillby, sighing deeply as he recalled his father figure.

"I didn't mean to assume, I'm sorry. Papa was... harsh. To all of us. I never knew anything outside of it all. If we didn't listen we got punished, if we did well we were praised. I think that's normal, but not for human parents. I think... the older we got the better it was- but maybe that's because we had better cognitive skills. I don't really like... thinking about it."

He paused, seeming to think further.

"I've seen what he does to the servants... they used to be my siblings. There were 20 of them. Some lived, some didn't. They're not like me anymore. Not- not human. They're like the creatures of the veil- the void- they stared into that abyss for too long. He claimed to care for all of us. What did he do to you?"

Void went very, very still at the question that nobody had ever asked him.

_What did he do to you?_

Voids mouth opened, then closed a few times as he tried to think of what to say. where to start.

“It... said I wasn't worth it the way I was. That monsters needed.. changed. So that’s what he did. He changed me. Gave me skin and muscle, organs and sinew. Made me.. _flesh_ . Gave me magic to defend myself and told me to fight. I never stood a chance but he made me fight. And when I lost he.. broke.. me. He spent years breaking my bones and leaving them to heal, only to break them again. Changing my shape in the most painful ways he could. Removing parts of me then stitching me back together like... _Frankenstein_. he..”

Void let out a shaking breath. The purple light in his eye was gone now, leaving two empty sockets as he recalled his torture.

“He would beat me until I couldn’t remain awake, then heal me so he could do it again. He would.. use me for..”

Void choked, then shook his head.

“...his pleasures. for years. Millennia. and when he was done with me he sliced me open, shoulder to hip, and left me to die.”

  
King listened carefully, trying to give this the attention it deserved, to be some kind of stability in this conversation. He tried but being comforting wasn't King's strong suit. He didn't wanna think about any of it, this was dragging up years he tried to forget, a part of him he wanted to pretend never happened. He just wanted to live a normal, human life. But this? This lined up too well. 

It was _definitely_ Papa.

Slowly and deliberately, King undid the top button of his shirt, pulling the collar of it down so Void could see the bite mark. He gave a glance down to his legs, his arms, his own body as if to say;

_'They're everywhere.'_

"He did the same to us. Told us they needed a human to rule them, something about Souls being stronger that way. I think I was... 7 when he started making us fight each other. You're a lot older than me. I think maybe you were his first attempt before he decided to kidnap a bunch of children....I'm sorry he got to you first."

King's face scrunched up at the memory, and Void swallowed against the lump in his throat. He couldn’t make himself look at King after the first few scars were shown to him.

“It was never really about the physical damage. He...I had sons. Two sons. By the time I escaped they had been dead for thousands of years. Lived long lives without remembering I was supposed to be there.”

Void tried to grab for another bottle, but Grillby swatted his hand and poured him a drink in a red plastic cup.

“It was easier when I could convince myself the bastard wasn't really sentient.”

King looked away, unsure of what to say. He'd taken away the single comfort Void had. Muddled it with complexities and moralities, but one thing wouldn't change. He leaned into the bar, settling his head into the palm of his hand once more and watched the fire elemental.

"I hate him. Always will."

He said simply, static- hostile and angry and full of malice- complimenting the ice in his tone. Void sighed and looked at King, then laughed lowly and slumped forward onto the bar counter.

“Yeah. me too kid.”

He held his head in his hands, gaze dropping back to the counter that was still slick from being wiped down.

“..I’m drunk. Not thinking straight. And you're not drunk enough to forget this entire conversation.”

King cracked a small smirk at the monster, turning his gaze back to him. A glance at Grillby told him that he wasn't going to let Void drink anymore. King was positive that him drinking was probably a terrible idea anyway.... He drummed his fingers along the counter, fishing around in his vest for his smokes.

"Are you going to forget? I'd say medicate with sex and maybe some murder but only one of those things are legal and the other seems hard with no ladies in the bar. Er- at least that I can tell."

Void snorted, rolling his eye as it flickered back on at last.

“I wish I could forget. No. And the drunk rabbit over there is female, and.. to put it bluntly, she fucks anything that moves”

He saw King take out a cigarette, and plucked it out of the humans hand and lit it for himself.

“but I’ve found she's a bit too energetic for me.”

King floundered, snapping out a quick ‘Hey!’ in admonishment as he pulled out another, lighting it with a gleeful sigh. He glanced at the bunny, looking her up and down as a faint blush formed on his skin and he glanced away from her, directing it back at Void.

"Hmm... No shame in that. Wonder if she's fine with humans. Ok then Mr. Lich, what is your type?"

Void gave a quiet, contemplative hum.

“I prefer humans. Smaller frame, calmer.. but spunky.”

"King seemed oblivious, rubbing his chin in thought. Did he know anyone like that? He wasn't sure. Marietta from the building across from his would be a good match but she just wasn't really... smart. Amore was a cutie but she was very, very spotty to get a hold of..He couldn't really think of anyone he'd find good enough for his companion. Wait.. good enough? What's gotten into him tonight?

"I don't think I know any girls that fit the bill. I'm not exactly 'tall, dark, and handsome' like some people I know."

Void stared at king for a moment, then slowly grinned and leaned in further.

“Who said I prefer females?”

At that, Grillby cut in, smacking his hand down solidly on the table.

“ _NO. You are NOT fucking another human in my bar bathroom, void! Get out!_ ”

Grillby whacked void with a rolled up newspaper that he'd pulled from beneath the bar, and void leaned away.

“Hey, okay okay!”

King raised an eyebrow, very confused now. He looked around, trying to spot who he meant. Didn't Void say humans weren't allowed here? Ah, probably an inside joke. King chuckled, watching the two. Then the lightbulb went off in his head.

"Oh! I get it now!"

A blush lit up his face.

"You're trying to tease Grillby! Aw, Void if I'm being a third wheel ya could have told me."

Both monsters stopped their bickering to stare at King. Grillby's flame dimmed in his shock, and Void looked.. repulsed.

“What?”

“ _What?_ ”

King just smiled in his confusion, glancing around and then back to the two. Were they not? They're so close though and they bicker like a married couple. He could have sworn that maybe? Did he misunderstand again? People were so hard to understand. Oh no, Void looked actually sick. 

"I thought that... You two just seem a bit like a married couple?"

He chuckled nervously.

“ _NO_!”

“Stars I’m gonna be sick.”

Grillby looked horrified, eyes darting between Void and King.

“ _He was flirting with you! Not ME!_ ”

Void had gone very still, then got up and ran into the back room behind the bar. Grillby lurched forward and chased after him.

“ _NOT ON MY FLOOR ASSHOLE!_ ”

King sputtered, barely able to respond as his eyes darted to Void- but before he could actually process what was happening Void ran off with Grillby following. He sat there, cigarette hanging loosely in his gaping mouth. What the fuck? Should he follow? He should probably make sure they're OK. He's not how sure he feels comfortable sitting at the bar by himself. But also, he didn't want to make Void uncomfortable. Ah... the poor drunk boy. He decided to go check on him.

Quietly and as imperceptibly as he could manage he climbed from his seat and crept towards where they had run off.

Void was standing up from a mop bucket, leaning into the wall as grillby looked ready to beat him senseless.

“This is why you weren’t allowed to drink here anymore.”

“Gril-“

“ _Hush! This is pathetic. Get back out there where you left that human alone in a bar full of monsters. I'll give you a shot of Hope, sober you up enough to take you both to the inn for the night..._ ”

King bristled at the tone, storming forward with newfound confidence. Fuck control! Fuck making a good first impression even though he already messed that up! Fuck Grillby- ok maybe not, Grillby seemed okay at least but that was too harsh!

King proudly found his spot in front of Void, chest held forward as he stared Grillby down directly.There's no Justice in this.

"Hey there you two are! I was starting to worry that your friend was calling you names and being a general asshole and I thought to myself- 'Nah, Grillby wouldn't do that. Friends don't do that.' Right. Grillby. I'm definitely wrong and have no reason to start a fight in a bar full of monsters because someone decided to be a fucking dick to my new friend, right?"

The elementals entire body flared a deep red, and the hem of his cuffs on his shirt began to smoke.

“ _How dare you-_ ”

He took a slow breath in an effort to reign in his temper.

“ _Get out of my bar._ ”

Void looked between grillby and King.

“It’s fine, I’m okay King. No harm done. Grillby is just concerned. Grillby, you know how that comes off to-“

“ _I said get out. Of my bar. Both of you. I’ll have the bottle delivered._ ”

King squared up his shoulders, head still held high as he refused to look away from Grillby. He stayed like that before a smile crept up onto his face and he started laughing. He couldn't help but shake his head, turning and holding his hand out to Void.

"Way to kick a man when he's down, Grillby. You should apologize to Void at some point. He's drunk, confused, had the rug pulled out from under him and you're berating him. I expected better of you. Void, I can just go, but if you'd like to come with me I'd be happy to show you to my home."

“I uh... sure?”

Grillby silently watched the duo leave the bar, though King could tell the element regretted what happened.. but clearly not enough to come after them.

Though, there was the simple fact that they were no longer in Manhattan, and void was in no state to be using such complex magic to get them back.

He grinned. Time to show Void a trick of his own. Slowly, the lad stepped forward, wrapping his hands around the Lich's midsection in what one would only call a hug. In a short moment, the world's colors left them- not in the same sense as the void, or an Encounter. Instead, it was like someone had just sucked them all away, and while they still seemed to be in a colorless version of 'Grillby's' there was suddenly no Grillby to be seen. When King let go, he grinned up at his companion, a single finger coming up to his lips.

"Shh... Make sure you whisper while we're here. This place evens you out, so you should start to feel a bit better in a moment. When you feel ready to walk, let me know."

He stared down at King, brows furrowed together as he looked behind him back into the suddenly empty bar.

“Wh...? I don’t.. where’d everyone go?”

Void couldn’t keep the concern and confusion out of his voice. He wasn’t used to this.. strange in-between. Everything was in tones of grey and white. King gestured around where they were, happily taking another drag of his cigarette and he led Void over to the bar door, which when he opened did not lead to the outside he knew and loved- it led to the inside of a very large looking living room.

"We're nowhere. A pocket dimension, if you will. If you want to get very specific, we're in my shadow."

Voids eye darted around, trying to take in everything at once, before he settled for walking towards the couch.

“Pocket dimension hm... monsters have a form of that, dimensional boxes.. my s-... a skeleton named Sans invented them underground. More for storage than anything this.. grandiose though.”

The house was minimal in the sense that it was modern. It was decorated lavishly, seemingly nothing was spared to show off it's luxury. The couch they sat at was a deep red, complemented by the fur white carpet under their feet and the black glass coffee table in front of the aforementioned sofa. Though the only odd thing was that despite all the potted plants they didn't seem well cared for. Candles also seemed to adorn every corner. Every where Void would look there seemed to somehow be books, more books, and _even more books._

King strolled off to another area to their left, and after a long moment he returned with a tray of what looked to be... cookies? He set it on the coffee table, nibbling on a piece of cake he'd returned with.

"I'm... sorry I got us kicked out."

Void sat, shaking his head as he finally took off his long overcoat. He wore a cream colored turtleneck underneath. Without his coat, he looked.. smaller. 

“Nah.. Grillby has his rules and I knew that”

The monster ran his hand down his face.

“...I’m sorry you had to see that though.”

King only chuckled, kicking his shoes up on the ottoman in front of him as he continued to take small nibbles of his cake. 

"Nah, it's ok. We all have our, uh... cringe moments. We all get too drunk."

He gave a shy look away as Void left himself in his turtle neck. Oh no, he's cute.

"Think he'll let us back eventually?"

Void snorted, and slumped back against the couch as he sighed. 

“Yeah, he will.. Grillby doesn’t hold grudges. He’s... kind, like that. I know he didn’t seem like it back there but he’s a kindhearted monster.”

The Lich gave King an apologetic smile.

“Guess first impressions were lost for all of us, Eh?”

The man turned to Void, slipping off his tie and undoing the top two buttons. With a certain tenderness he quietly took off his vest as well, leaving him in nothing but his dress shirt and tight, well-fitted dress-pants. He stood, cane abandoned next to the couch discarded as an afterthought. One by one, King cradled each of his plants, inspecting them carefully before discarding them into the trash.

"I don't imagine it... could have gone better. He seems like a well enough monster and I would be remiss if I didn't get a chance to properly get to know him."

He shot a grin over at Void, cheeky and knowing. 

"Sorry I thought you had the hots for him."

Voids expression screwed up into something akin to extreme distaste.

“I’ve known that monster for..honestly, likely longer than your bloodline has existed. The implication alone is just..”

He visibly shuddered, then shook his head and observed as King disposed of multiple plants.

“Why not just water them?”

He raised an eyebrow at Void, quickly averting his gaze to the trashcan where he'd discarded the once green plants. For some reason that question seemed to bother him, for reasons he wasn't sure he wanted to get into. King gently turned the last of the plants around in his hands, smiling down at it. It had once been a luscious cluster of spider lilies. After a long pause he merely dropped it into the trashcan without another thought.

"I forget to." 

He came back around, sprawling about the couch where he was sure to be invading Void's personal space. 

"You plan on sleeping?"

Void stared at the human for a moment, then heaved a sigh and looked up at the ceiling. After a beat of silence, he finally found the words he wanted to use;

“Today was supposed to be simple. I drink, I go home, I pass out. Instead I’m.. stuck in a vortex of emotions I thought were dead and buried, in a pocket dimension with a human who’s just asked me if I’m going to sleep.”

The monster looked over towards King, one brow raised.

“I have no idea if I’m going to be sleeping tonight.”

King merely smiled up at Void, retrieving his slice of cake and nibbling on it bite by bite as he took in the Monster's company. His cake was sweet, tooth-rottingly so and that was how King liked it. While the lad had outgrown most of his more childish tendencies, this was not one of them. He has an insatiable sweet tooth and his kitchen would show that. He felt a pang of embarrassment as the thought crossed his mind. Instead, he chose to focus on helping Void feel a bit less muddy.

"If it's any consolation, we're no longer in the pocket dimension. We're in my home, in Manhattan. I can offer you cards, music, a blanket if you prefer. My home is yours- considering it's my fault that your night got ruined."

The human glanced out of the nearby window, and onto the balcony below.

"I don't usually entertain company that I intend to keep breathing."

Void grumbled, and raked a hand down his face as he tried to put all this together.

“I.. right. Apologies, I’m..”

Drunk, an idiot, exhausted? All three at once?

“...not thinking straight”

That was as good an answer as any. He sighed and sat forward onto the edge of the couch, and stared at the floor as if it had somehow offended him.

“I feel I should be better than this. It’s been thousands of years and I’m still stuck on this.. trapped in the past.”

King rolled in his spot, situating himself so he was sitting up and facing towards the monster. He felt his hand sneaking forward, to Void's back where he sought to rub and comfort, instead he hesitated- hand instead hovering with implied intent. He gently lowered it, merely settling there to indicate his presence. 

"You are thinking straight. All of this is... too much for anyone."

Void shuddered at the slight weight of Kings hand, and chanced a glance back at the human.

“I witnessed that much at the bar between the two of us. Pair of idiots, we are.”

He snorted, and shook his head as he tried his best to quell the uneasy feeling he had.

“...why did.. your father, do what he did? To anyone? All this time I thought they were mindless acts of a beast that lacked thought. He never once uttered a word to me.”

King took a deep breath, tenderly moving his hand along Void's back- it seemed to be less in comfort and more in thought as he rested his head in the palm of his free hand. King's grassy green eyes seemed to almost grow duller as he sat in silence, only a small hum escaping him as he tried to form the words to answer the question.

How does someone.. answer that?

"I'm not sure. I think they're all stuck there. Athello and Pandora used to be able to leave, but after they changed they couldn't anymore. Papa never talks a lot, only when it's important I think. I can count on one hand the things he's said to me. If I'm honest I can't even recall his voice. Sometimes I wonder if he's even capable of true empathy and compassion."

Void barked out a harsh, bitter laugh as he shook his head.

“Capable- he's Not. I can assure you of that.”

Void tried-and subsequently failed- to calm himself as he growled quietly. 

“He ruined me. All without so much as uttering a word as to why. And being ‘stuck there’? That’s no excuse.”

He looked down, brows furrowed.

“You still call them family. You call that thing your father. You say you hate him yet you use endearing paternal terminology. So which is it?”

King didn't move save for his hand slowly retracting as he stared. And he stared hard, nearly drilling holes into Void's head. It was momentary anger, spawned by trauma dragged up by a boy barely into adulthood. His anger was justified and King felt it in his core. So he slowly stood once more, hands shoving harshly into his pockets as he began to open the balcony doors merely to let some fresh air in.

"I call him what he is, which is my father. Hate him or not, he raised me. I never said being 'stuck there' excused the behavior. You asked for an explanation and I gave the only reason I could logically come to."

He turned, scowling at Void with newfound anger.

"Do not accuse me of not hating him, because I do. Don't speak of things you know nothing about."

Void growled, standing as he resisted the pull of his magic to form his familiar.

“What else am I supposed to think. A human I met in a bar suddenly told me his ‘papa’ was the one to steal me away from my children, force me to change physically and mentally, the same beast who violated me, my magic, my fucking _MORALS!_ ”

He turned away from the human entirely, laughing bitterly as he took a deep breath then turned back, pointing accusingly at King.

“And then that same human has the audacity to tell me that using endearing nicknames and calling it their father and saying it’s family... that somehow that equates to hatred. Do you think me. A fool, king?”

King felt his magic manifest, the sparks flying off him vibrating intensely as it darted around the room in an uncontrollable fit- like a toddler throwing a tantrum. His face seemed blank as he stood there, not daring to move a muscle as he struggled to reel it back in. 

"I think you are a monster with no heart if you speak to a man who has only shown you compassion and patience in his own home with such malice. So, yes. You are a fool, WingDings. Do you think you are the only one who has lost things to him? I will warn you again, do not start a fight over things you know nothing of."

Void went very, very.. very still. He turned away completely, and remained silent for a time. The monster did not appear to even be breathing.

The next second seemed to pass in slow motion.

Void spun around, and crossed the room to king in two long strides, grabbed the human by the shirt and slammed him into the wall with such force the plaster and wood cracked. 

Black streaks of tears ran down voids face from his empty eye socket, and his good one was flush with purple light. Behind him, the very air rippled like a heatwave.

Like a light switch behind turned on, a massive animal skull-so big it’s jaw touched the floor and it’s horns grazed the ceiling- manifested behind him. It’s maw oozed black magic that sizzled and burned like acid when it dripped onto the carpeted floor.

Voids gaze was steady, and a seething rage intended only for King was written plainly across his face. 

_“D̶̿̓ȏ̶̆n̵̽̚’̷̾t̷̀̆ ̴̇̈́y̴̙̽õ̸͗u̷͐ ̸̽̇e̵͋͌v̸̲̒e̴͊̿r̸͌͐ ̵̛̼c̴͊ͅa̶̓̐l̵̑͋l̶̻̆ ̶͑͝m̵̬̐ë̵̛ ̶̎͐ẗ̴́͗ȟ̷̕a̷͂̒t̶̉̊ ̸̑̌ä̶̛ġ̶̾a̷̋̾i̵̖͑n̵̔̉ ̸̾̈”_

Void reared his arm back then cracked it forward, aiming to embed the sharp barbs of the whip into Kings skin. If they landed, and he managed to keep at least one in for a few seconds, king would be paralyzed. Temporarily, anyway. It wouldn’t last long..

Just long enough.

King knew he wouldn't be able to move in time, he had barely a split second to think of how to avoid getting hit. He hadn't expected a weapon- this threw a wrench into the whole fight. Instead, he rag-dolled onto the floor, slipping into his shadow as the whip grazed him, disappearing from the room entirely. Void snarled when the man disappeared from sight, teeth bared as his eyes scanned the room. The skull behind him buzzed with energy, and his hand clenched around the handle of his whip.

When he didn’t see King, he grumbled. The skull flickered, then vanished.

“Pathetic..should have known, he’d run away..”

As if on que, King manifested from behind Void out of the Monster's shadow, magic poised to strike him down where he stood- and he did shoot, but his magic still missed

_"SHIT-"_

King realized what had just happened as he fell to the floor, unable to move. He smiled, struggling to look up at Void, finding talking too much of a challenge. Could he slip Void into a shadow if he tried to kill him again? King was betting on it, but the odds weren't in his favor anymore. He shouldn't have let Void antagonize him.

Void slowly moved to stand over top King. The Lich’s anger hadn’t dissipated. A Lesser man would kill King right then and there.. but Void was not that man.

“You do not.. nor will you ever... have the right to use that name. I don’t care if it’s in anger. I will kill you. And I will not feel remorse.”

He grabbed King by the neck, and lifted him to eye level.

_“Are we understood?”_

King stared at the monster, something primal boiling under the surface from having his neck grabbed in such a manner. Part of him wanted to spit in Void's face, to slap him across the face, to snarl in an assertion of dominance... But King knew better. He bit his lip, chewing it raw as he gave the best nod he could manage.

He was after all, a soul of Perseverance. 

Vois let king drop uselessly to the floor, then vanished altogether, leaving King to clean up the mess.

**Author's Note:**

> Interested in meeting the creators? Or maybe you just want to join an awesome community~  
> Check out the discord!
> 
> https://discord.gg/QMepcwj


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